Patient treatment apparatus

Abstract

Treatment apparatus supporting a patient lying in a generally prone or supine position for manipulation includes a base and a table supported thereabove for movement between selected different horizontal positions or working levels for treatment of the patient. The table is tiltable toward and away from an upright position for facilitating the patient in mounting and dismounting before and after treatment and includes a foot piece adjacent an end of the table for supporting the patient when mounting and dismounting. A plurality of cushions are mounted for movement along the table to selectably adjustable positions for accommodating patients of different size and shape. The table includes an electrically powered drive system for movement of table components for controlling the different selected working levels for the convenience of a particular chiropractor or other practitioner, the tilting action and cushion position adjustments and a memory is provided in a control system so that table positions and movements for a particular patient and treatment practitioner are automatically repeatable. One or more automatic self-cocking, electrically controlled drops are provided for cushions on the table to initiate automatic lifting and recocking of the drop so that the practitioner can maintain continuous hand contact with the patient being treated while successive drops are performed. The drops automatically measure the patient's weight and provide for a selectively adjustable amount of downward force exerted by the practitioner for initiating a drop of the cushion in a direction selected.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is: 
     
       1. Apparatus for supporting a patient for controlled dropping movement from a first level toward a second level, said apparatus including: power driven lift means for elevating at least a portion of the patient to said first level;   latch means for retaining said lift means at said first level; and   release means for actuating said latch means to initiate a drop from said first level toward said second level in response to the exertion of a predetermined downward force on the patient; said release means includes adjustable control means for selecting the amount of said predetermined downward force for activating said release means to initiate the drop.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus of claim 1, including: means for measuring the weight of the patient at said first level.   
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim 1, including: automatic means for activating said power driven lift means to return to said first level from said second level after a drop has been initiated and completed.   
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein: said automatic means includes means for repetitively returning said power driven lift means from said second level to said first level after successive drops.   
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim 1, including: user operated means for selecting said predetermined downward forces.   
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: said release means includes an electric motor.   
     
     
       7. The apparatus of claim 1, including: support means for said patient permitting limited movement during the drop in a sloped direction angularly away from a vertical downward direction.   
     
     
       8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein: said support means includes limit means for permitting free limited movement during a drop in said sloped angular direction as determined by the direction of force exerted on the patient to initiate said drop.   
     
     
       9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein: said support means includes stop means for limiting the amount of angular deviation between said sloped angular drop direction and the vertical downward direction during a drop.   
     
     
       10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein: said angular deviation limit is defined within a conical envelope having an upper apex at the vertical direction from where a drop is initiated.   
     
     
       11. The apparatus of claim 7, including: control means selectively operable to permit only a vertically downward direction of drop in a first condition and to permit a drop sloping in an angular path away from vertical in a second condition.   
     
     
       12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein: said control means includes first stop means for limiting a drop sloping in an angular position away from vertical to a single first vertical plane.   
     
     
       13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein: said control means includes second stop means for limiting a drop sloping in an angular position away from vertical to a single second vertical plane angularly disposed to said first vertical plane.   
     
     
       14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein: said first vertical plane is generally aligned with a spinal axis of a supported patient.   
     
     
       15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein: said second vertical plane is generally aligned transversely to the spinal axis of a supported patient.   
     
     
       16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein: said first vertical plane is generally aligned transversely to the spinal axis of a supported patient.   
     
     
       17. Drop apparatus for supporting a patient for selectively controlled dropping movement from a first level toward a second level, including: lift means for raising a portion of the patient from said second level to said first level in position for a drop;   latch means for securing said lift means at said first level releasable by a predetermined downward force applied on said patient;   guide means for controlling a path of the drop from said first level toward said second level; and   automatic means for actuating said lift means to elevate to said first level from said second level after a drop is completed.   
     
     
       18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein: said automatic means includes means for repetitively repeating return of said lift means to said first level from said second level after successive drops.   
     
     
       19. The apparatus of claim 17, including: user operated means for selecting said predetermined downward force.   
     
     
       20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein: said latch means includes an electric motor.   
     
     
       21. The apparatus of claim 17, including: means for measuring the weight of the patient at said first level.   
     
     
       22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein: said guide means directs said drop along a substantially straight drop path.   
     
     
       23. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said guide means permits said drop to spiral downwardly along a curved path. 
     
     
       24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein: said curved path comprises a downward spiral.   
     
     
       25. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein: said guide means confines said drop path to lie in a single vertical plane.   
     
     
       26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein: said single vertical plane is aligned with a spinal axis of a supported patient.   
     
     
       27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein: said single vertical plane is aligned transversely across a spinal axis of a supported patient.